Green water on deck causes one death and several injuries

A loaded tanker carrying chemicals and oil products was sailing in heavy weather. The ship was exposed to 6 m high waves and water frequently sloshed over the bow and foredeck. The speed was reduced to about 6 knots and the crew was not allowed on deck.

The water alarm for the boatswain’s store sounded in the engine control room and the duty engineer immediately notified the Officer of the Watch (OOW) on the bridge. It was suspected that the hatch (1.4 m x 1 m) in the forecastle to the boatswain’s store had been damaged, allowing water to enter the compartment.

The Master considered that uncontrolled flooding of the Bosun’s Store could have a negative impact on the trim and stability of the vessel. He decided that immediate action needed to be taken to investigate the water ingress and contain the flooding. The Master did not request the Company’s assistance in calculating the impact of the flooded Bosun’s Store on the stability of the vessel, nor was the Company informed of the water ingress.

The captain attempted to turn the ship 180 degrees to reduce the amount of water entering before the crew continued on, but the ship was rolling so badly that this was not possible.

Six crew members then went on deck and made their way to the forecastle, wearing the necessary personal protective equipment, including life jackets and safety harnesses attached to lifelines. They found that the leading edge of the deck hatch and the coaming were slightly deformed inward. This created a small gap between the hatch cover seal and the hatch coaming, which allowed water to enter the bosun’s supplies with each wave that broke over the bow.

A decision was made to cover the entire hatch to slow the ingress of water. The crew began tying rubber and plastic over the damaged hatch. Suddenly a large wave broke over the bow and the crew members working forward were knocked off their feet and swept across the deck. At this point, all of the crew members’ lifelines were still attached. The captain raised the alarm and ordered other crew members to put on personal protective equipment for working on deck. The rescue party advanced with first aid supplies and a stretcher. Five crew members were found injured, one was unharmed. All five injured crew members were taken to the ship’s hospital.

All five victims had serious injuries; one victim had sustained a significant injury to the forehead and was in critical condition. Despite all efforts, the Master pronounced the victim dead later that same day.

Lessons learned

• Even with secured lifelines and personal protective equipment, entering the water on deck can be a very dangerous undertaking.
• If in doubt, contact the company for advice. In this case, a stability calculation might have shown that the vessel would have been safe even with the boatswain’s supplies flooded and sending the crew on would have been an unnecessary risk.

Reference: nautinst.org